Ballykinealy/Kilmacdonogh national school is situated in the rural East Cork townland of Ballykinealy. The surrounding landscape comprises rolling rich farmland with deep soils, and the area has a strong tradition of both tillage farming and animal husbandry.

The school building itself comprises a detached five-bay single-storey former national school, built c.1930, having single-bay gabled porch to front (south) elevation and single-bay flat-roofed extension to rear (north) elevation. It has a pitched slate roof with rendered chimneystacks to gables. There are roughcast rendered walls with smooth render plinth, and a cut stone name plaque to east gable. Also included are square-headed window openings throughout, with timber sliding sash windows, six-over-six pane to front and rear elevations and gables, two-over-two pane to porch and extension. There are square-headed openings to porch and extension with timber battened doors (probably original). Surrounding the building is a rubble stone boundary wall to the north, and a rendered boundary wall with stile to east.

This school house has simple geometric forms creating a pleasing architectural feature in rural area. It retains original timber sash windows set high in walls which are typical of many school buildings – providing sufficient daylight and avoiding distraction to pupils. The building has become structurally unstable in recent years with large cracks appearing at the gable end of the structure. It is currently being used as a storage space.

If you or someone you know attended this national school, please do get in touch and share any stories, anecdotes, photographs, or any other memories you may have.

The light shines through the simple sash square headed window of Réidh Reamhar (Reyrawer) National School, Reyrawer townland, Co. Galway. This school house, built in 1883 is located high in the Slieve Aughty Mountains in Co. Galway. It is reported as the highest school house in Ireland